Assai Essentials

A leading figure in Russia's underground hip-hop scene, Assai has been shaping his sound for almost two decades. Marked by free-form metre and backed by atmospheric, jazz-influenced production, Assai's flow usually concerns heavy subjects, tackled in a wild, experimental way. Early on, he was an organising presence in influential group Krec, which included kindred underground spirit Smoky Mo. In recent years, Assai's solo projects, including Assai Music Band, have continued to shatter expectations and push the boundaries of modern hip-hop.